Is Sales A Career For You?

If you’re considering a career in Sales then here we help you explore whether it’s a career for you and ensure you’re selling your worth, not selling your soul.

Working in sales has had it’s fair share of sigma over the years, from the horrendous Apprentice Audition Clichés that we all like to cringe over, to that 8pm sales phone call from someone “trying to sell PPI or Accident Claims”. As a result of this people often say “that’s my nightmare job, I’d hate to have to do sales…” without really ever giving a second through to what a sales role can encompass and, whether it can even be a good thing to have sales on your CV. To us sales is anything but a dirty word and you could actually carve out a very successful career for yourself. We give you reassurance that sales can be a great career for you: read our four pieces of sales advice, ranging from misconceptions to knowledge on the profession.

You will not turn into David Brent…
There are multiple clichés that will turn people off working in sales, ‘the low hanging fruit’, ‘the numbers game’ … but times have changed and a lot of sales roles will now want candidates who can adapt and be consultative to attract new business and clients. A sales role will actually help to develop and adapt your communication skills, resulting in you being more attractive to future employers in other sectors too

2. Graduates need not, not apply

There’s a stigma that people who end up in sales didn’t particularly go through an academic route and the industry is a bit of a “last chance saloon”. Wrong. Think of any business or company that you are currently a customer of or have taken an interest in buying something from: at the root someone in the said organisation developed a sales technique to establish a client base. This is not a task to be taken lightly and considers thought, strategy and constant evaluation. And that’s not for the faint hearted! But a successful sales person will take an interest in people and what makes them tick, be inquisitive over being forceful and want to provide a service over a hindrance. And that requires several skills

3. All about the money

So, what can you really earn in a sales role and are those uncapped millions really within easy reach? The obvious and honest answer to this is no. And that’s for most organisations. However if you know what is expected and have an idea of your own goals, this will put you in a strong position to succeed and not feel overwhelmed by your targets. On taking a role make sure that there is a base salary involved. If that company can’t afford to pay you then how successful is their sales strategy to start off with, and is this a company you want to work for? The rule of thumb with sales is generally that salaries can be low to start off with depending on their commission structure and how achievable this is – so you will have a base and an OTE. Measure your worth in what you can bring to the role, and ask about how achievable the targets are. Sales roles have increased their base salary to attract great people….perhaps the penny has now dropped that good people need to be nurtured and rewarded for their skills.

4. Knowledge is POWERSo if you’re ready to know more start taking a look at some job specifications, and have a think about the sectors that interest you – you will have a better chance of succeeding in sales if you are interested and excited about what you may be selling and you will be able to communicate this better to your potential buyers! Still not sure? Come and speak to us at Benchmark and we can give you an honest insight into what you will be getting yourself into – no hard sell…honest!!